Holly's Voice
by CaptainS10
Summary: A short and sweet, fluffy, cliche one-shot. Artemis hears Holly singing, and finds a chance to finally convince her of his true feelings toward her from the turnout situation. Set right after TLG, after Artemis regains his memories. Obviously A/H.


Holly Short was stressed, tired, and extremely relieved. But she was also tensed and wired into awareness. Therefore, she decided to take a shower to try to relax and calm her mind down.

She didn't have anything to change into, having not planned to be staying in the first place ( two weeks ago now), but she had been borrowing clothes from her genius friend and his young brothers to wear in that period of time, while she helped him regain his memories. It was a slow, painful process, and it was finally over. He finally remembered everything- hints her reason of so many mixed emotions.

Now she was on her way to get a warm, relaxing shower, and then hopefully get to bed. Artemis was supposed to be bringing clothes in her room and setting them in on her bed for her when she finished.

Now, Artemis was on his way to do just that, taking in one of his old nightshirts for her to wear, when he heard something strange.

_"May he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss_

_'Just a day,' he said down to the flask in his fist_

_'Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year.' "_

Holly is.. singing, Artemis thought. In the shower. How cliche.

He smirked, then closed his eyes and listened closer. He wasn't focusing on making out the words any longer, but just savoring her voice. It was soft, melodic, and perfectly in tune with how he imagined the song with the music would be. Her voice was just... beautiful.

He followed the sound of her voice to the adjoining bathroom door, then paused. It would be wrong for him to go in, he knew. But her voice was beckoning to him, and she was in the shower. It wasn't like he'd see anything. He needed to take her clothes to her anyhow, right?

The door wasn't locked when he tried it, turning the knob and pushing the door open. He crept in almost silently, his loafers tapping faintly on the floor as he walked. However, faintly was just enough.

Holly's voice cut off mid-sentence, and he heard her breath in sharply as she asked, "A-Artemis?"

"It's me, of course," Artemis agreed from his new position by the sink. He dropped the nightshirt on the edge of it and said, "I was bringing in the nightclothes you asked for..."

"Oh," Holly murmured. She was glad he couldn't see how red her face was right then as she thought, he didn't say anything, so maybe he didn't hear, or he won't being it up..."

"..and listening to you sing," he added suddenly, smirking.

The elf drew in a sharp breath, growling in frustration as she pulled the towel off the edge of the hanger and wrapped up in it, sliding open the shower door. "I didn't mean for you to hear that. I'm sorry," she muttered, blushing furiously as she stepped out of the shower. She started to walk away from him, her head ducked to hide the flush on her cheeks, but he caught her arm. She looked up at him when he grabbed her.

"What are you sorry for?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"You heard me singing," she sighed. "I would have stopped if I knew you were listening. I know my voice isn't great. Sorry you had to hear it."

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Artemis insisted. "And I'm glad I heard it. Otherwise, there would be no one to tell you that it's not great."

Holly flinched, looking away from him. "I know, I-"

"It's greater than great, Holly. It sweet, and pretty, and strong, and absolutely beautiful." He leaned his lips down by her ear, so he could whisper in it, ignoring the look on her face. "Just like you." And then, ignoring the fearful twisting in his stomach, he kissed her deeply.

Holly gasped and pulled back, a shocked and pleasantly surprised look on her face. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I... Did you really mean that?" Her eyes were wide and hopeful. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

"I don't think you're beautiful, Holly, I _know_ you're beautiful. It's like instinctual, on some level. I've always known you were beautiful. And... I've always loved you."

He didn't know why he was spilling all this now, but it seemed like a good thing, because when he looked in her eyes, he realized how much she needed it. So he stopped thinking about it finally, and leaned down to kiss her deeply again.

"I.. Artemis, I love you too," Holly gasped, pulling away briefly. "But I need to breathe."

He chuckled. "Breathe then," he murmured, lifting her up around the waist and pinning her against the wall, nuzzling her neck. "And then sing."

"What?"

"My, you are deaf this evening." He looked up, back into her eyes, and said, "I want you to sing again, Holly. Sing for me. Please." He kissed her once again, and she sighed, pulling away.

"Fine, fine. Maybe I will. But I'm getting dressed first." She gestured to her still towel-clad body, and he nodded, putting her down.

He walked out and sat on her bed, and she followed a few minutes later. She came over and sat beside him, but he chuckled and pulled her up into his lap. "Now sing," he whispered in her ear.

She did. She sang the rest of her sweet song, and then another, and another. That's what she did, and Artemis listened to, until they both drifted of in each other's arms like that.


End file.
